Hoian D’or by Huni Architectes
September 29, 2021
Hoian D’or is located on an island near the mouth of Thu Bon River.
Hoi An is a city with a distinct geography: its landforms are shaped by the extensive reach of Thu Bon River, forming small islands bordered by streams. Near the mouth of the river, one such island called Con Bap is the site for Hoian D’or, a high-end real estate and resort development that harnesses the city’s pull of cultural tourism.
Spanning 24.5 hectares, the master plan of Hoian D’or takes its cue from the heritage town’s urban structure. The functions are grouped into several blocks: a ‘village’ of hotels and villas; an ecological park with local plants and herbs; and a ‘shophouse town’ at the centre, with three main axes oriented towards surrounding cultural, commercial and ecological areas.
This project is currently at the construction stage, and we talked to Huni Architectes about their environmental strategies for this uniquely situated project.
This restaurant building is oriented towards the river. The organic low-rise form.
Q: How does the architecture take into account the local physical landscape?
A: The low-rise architecture is designed to be in harmony with the site’s landscape. In the context of the heritage area, where the regulations on construction are very strict to preserve its cultural assets and value, we handled it by offering low-rise building options—using the double roof structure to shield against sun and rain, and the typical slope found in Hoi An buildings to harmonise with the current old town’s built fabric.
To add landscape value to the area, we plan to preserve the cultural areas and develop areas that are favourable for residents to live and work. Nearly half of the existing land is maintained and half is developed for the new residences.
Q: Are there any ecological/nature-based considerations or solutions used? Or passive design strategies?
A: The project lies within the area that is directly affected by flooding from Thu Bon River. Hence, a solution to prevent flooding is needed. Embankments and raising ground levels needed to be studied further to avoid changes in flooding, which might directly affect the project and surrounding areas.
The design strategies include:
- Digging a canal to clear the flow of the river surrounding the island, reducing the impact of flood water on the project as well as Cam Nam Village on the opposite side.
- Dredging and making embankments around the project to improve the environmental landscape.
The boutique hotel. The villa.
Q: Does this involve natural landscaping solutions or a hardscape one? Would this improve the ecosystem services of the area?
A: Due to the characteristics of the site, it will be flooded at certain times of the year. Therefore, the proposed design plan is applied so that people can live safely with annual floods by raising the ground level, using sustainable and waterproof materials for the ground floor.
The landscape will prioritise local species such as water coconut and palm to maintain the existing ecosystem of the area and partly to recreate the image of a Hoi An village.
Q: Is the produce meant to support local community’s food needs?
A: The garden is a landscaped area with two main purposes. The first is to preserve the local specialty that is Cam Nam’s sticky corn—the main ingredient for many dishes of Hoi An, including sweet corn soup. Therefore, the plants grown in this area are primarily for preserving local cultural and culinary values.
The second is to highlight the landscape for the whole project. The name Con Bap Island means the place where corn is grown, so the maintenance of this crop is to retain the soul of the rich land. The project will invite local skilled farmers to cultivate and grow crops. We will also celebrate festivals and fairs with concepts related to Cam Nam’s corns.
The landscape will prioritise local species including palm, water coconut and corn. The ‘shophouse town’ at the centre of the development.
PROJECT DATA
Project Name: Hoian D’or
Location: Thu Bon estuary area, Cam Nam Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Status: Under construction
Completion Date: Second quarter of 2023
Site Area: 24.5 hectares
Developers: BCG (Bamboo Capital); VNG
Architect: Huni Architectes
Project Manager: BCG Land
Supervisory Consultant: Artelia Vietnam Co Ltd
Main Contractor: Tracodi (Transport & Industry Development Investment)
RELATED STORY: City Profile
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